Heel-lift-depositing mechanism



Oct. 30, 1928.

L. HOLMAN HEEL LIFT DEPOSITING MECHANISM Filed 'Jan. 12,- 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,487

- L. A. HOLMAN HEEL LIFT DEPOSITING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 12, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES pro PATENT OFFICE- LESLIE A. HOLMAN, OF WALTI-IAM', MASSACHUSETTS.

HEEL-LIFT-DEPOSITING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 12, 1926.

6 member and although designed primarily for use in a heel building machine of the construction illustrated in an application filed by me in the United States Patent Office, August 29, 1921, Serial No. 496,201, it is susceptible of use in machines of various other forms of construction and operation.

In the use of heel making machines employing a movable conveyor or similar assembling member upon which the heel lifts are built up in piles to form heels, it is desirable and necessary that the lifts should be accurately deposited and positioned on the conveyor for if the lifts in the heel pile are out of'alignment the top lifts are apt to tilt sidewise and to interfere with the adjusting of the heel-pile for the nailing operation. To remedy such defective placing of lifts on the conveyor will require more or less constant attention from the machine operator and will interfere with the progress of the work. This is especially true in machines in which the lifts are deposited upon the conveyorfrom a-moving member adapted for transferring lifts from a suitable source of supply to the conveyor or assembling member.

The principal object of the invention is the provision in a heel building machine of a mechanism for depositing lifts in accu rately arranged and even piles to form heels.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism which is capable of rapid adjustment to difierent conditions of lifts and length of movement.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth and described hereinafter.

My invention contemplates the provision in a heel making machine of a device or mechanism for seizing heel lifts and deposi ing or positioning them flatwise upon a conveyor or assembling member to build up heel piles. The heel lifts may be presented to the mechanism either by magazines or by transferring means intermediate the magazine or lift supplying means and the conveyor or assembling manner. In the embodiment of the invention shown and described herein, a pair of co-operating jaws is provided for gripping a heel lift, the jaws being mounted for a swinging movement to Serial No. 80,800.

carry the heel lift to the conveyor or as sembling member. Atthe end of the swingmg movement, the jaws are opened to release the lift which is thereby deposited flatwise in accurate position on the conveyor. Means are provided for adjusting the length of the swinging movement of the jaws so that the lift may be deposited. and released simultaneously in order to secure accurate positioning. I

In the drawings illustrating one form of the invention, Figure l is a side elevation of a mechanism constructed and operated in ac cordance with my invention applied to a rotary lift transferring member of the form as shown in my said application hereinbefore referred to; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View i of said mechanism; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation as viewed from left to right in Fig. 1 of the means for opening the lift gripping means to release lifts; Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sectional views of the rock-shaft bearing for controlling the stroke of the lift gripping means.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a pair of co-operating jaws 10 and 11, each pivotally mounted for opening and closing movement upon a screw 12 threaded into a plate 13 which is provided with integral bearings 14 to receive a rock-shaft 16. The rear ends 18 of the jawsmay be turned inwardly toward each and may be connected together for movement in unison by a link 20 (Fig. 2) which is secured to one jaw and extends into a notch or recess in the end of the other jaw. Any opening or closing movement of one jaw is communicated to the other through said link to bring about movement in unison. The link 20 may also be utilized for holding the jaws in an openinoperative position when desired and for this purpose the end 18 of the jaw 11 is provided with a curved slot 24 in which the link is mounted with a binding screw 26 to hold the link in any desired position in said slot. The binding screw is normally tightened but to open the j aws, it is first loosened, the jaws then opened to inoperative position and the binding screw is again tightened to hold the jaws in that position.

The forward ends of the jaws may be su1tably formed or provided with means for gripping and holding a heel lift. As shown (Fig. each jaw has secured to the upperside of its forward end by a screw 27 a nose HIT 28 having its inner edge 29 oblique and adapted to project inwardly under the heel lift to support it in flat position and its outer edge turned upwardly to engage the side of the lift. (Fig. 1). A spring 30 tends normally to draw the two jaws together so that the lift is gripped firmly between t-he two noses 28 as well as supported thereby.

To impart a swinging movement to the jaws for depositing the heel lifts any suitable means may be provided for rocking the shaft 16 and one such is shown comprising a lever 32 bored at one end and secured to the rockshaft 16 by a screw 33 and carrying at its other end a roll 34 mounted on a screw pin 35 and engaging the periphery of a cam 36 fastened by a pin 37 on a cam-shaft 38 rotatably mounted in bearings 39 in the frame 40 of the machine. The rotation of the cam-shaft imparts a rocking movement to the rock-shaft 16 through the medium of the cam 36 and lever 32. The plate 13 carrying the aws is loosely mounted on the rockshaft 16 but movement is imparted to it by means of a collar 42 secured by a screw 43 to the rock-shaft adjacent one of the bearings 14 of the plate 13. The adjacent ends of the collar 42 and bearing 14 interlock as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The are of movement of the rockshaft and collar is necessarily greater than the arc of movement of the bearing 14 and in Fig. 4 the parts are shown in their relative positions when the jaws are up and in Fig. 5 when the jaws are down. In the latter figure, the rock-shaft 16 and collar 42 have turned through a longer are than has the bearing 14 and the shoulder 44 on the collar has separated from the shoulder 45 of the bearing 14. On its return movement the collar turns without imparting any upward movement to the jaws until the shoulder 44 engages shoulder 45 from which point the bearing 14 is rotated and the jaws raised into the position shown in Fig. 4. For adjusting the length of the swinging movement of the jaws the plate 13 may be provided with an upright arm 47 through which is threaded a screw 48 adapted to bear against a beam 50 which forms a part of the frame of the machine. By turning the screw in one direction or the other the length of stroke of the jaws may be increased or diminished and a butterfly set-nut 51 may be used to hold the screw 48 in adjustment.

For opening the jaws to release the lift at the end of the downward stroke the jaw 11 may be provided with an upright pin 54 in position to be engaged by an arm 55 fixed on a slide-shaft 57 slidably mounted in bracket bearings 58 secured to the said beam 50 by bolts 59. Any suitable means may be provided for operating the slideshaft 57 to open the jaws at the appropriate time and one such means is shown comprising a compound bell-crank lever made up of a shaft 60 having two radial arms 61 and 62 secured thereto one at each end. The shaft is rotatably mounted in a bearing 63 fastened by bolts 64 to the beam 50 and the arms 61 and 62 each have one end in the form of a transverse collar or cylindrical portion 65 to receive the shaft 60 to which they may be fastened by set screws 66. Arm 61 is adapted to engage a short collar arm 67 secured to the slide-shaft 57 by a set-nut 68 and arm 62 carries a roll 69 for engaging a cam 70 mounted on the cam-shaft 38.

The rotation of the cam causes the slideshaft to be moved longitudinally to the right, referring to Fig. 3, through the instrumentality of the compound lever and this movement of the slide-shaft opens the jaws to release the heel lift held therein.

'i't helical spring 72 may be mounted on the slide-shaft between the collar arm 67 and the hearing 58 for returning the slide-shaft to normal position after it has been operated to open the jaws and the cam 70 has disengaged the roll 69. In this operation the in'lined surface 73 of the cam engages the roll 69 which rides up on it thereby operatthe bell-crank lever and the jaws remain open until the roll slides off the inclined end 74 of the cam when the jaws are released for closure by the spring 30 to grip a heel lift.

To illustrate the application of my invention to a heel. building machine, the embodiment herein described is shown as used in connection with a machine of the general type of construction and operation shown in my said application, hereinbefore referred to. Only such parts of that machine are shown, however, as are necesasry to illustrate such use but said application may be referred to for a more complete description ofthe entire machine.

In Figure 1 there is shown a portion of a rotary transferring member for withdrawing lifts from lift supplying 'means and a conveyor upon which the lifts are assembled in heel piles. my device being used for taking the lifts from the transferring member and for depositing them in accurat e piles upon the conveyor. The transferring member is made up of two circular plates secured together in spaced relation by bolts 81 and fixedly mounted upon a shaft 82. Between the plates the space is somewhat less than the width of a heel lift and their peripheries are provided at intervals with. flattened portions 83 forming seats for the lifts. On the outside face of each plate at the rear of each seat 83 is fixed by pins 84 a finger 85 right angled in cross section which projects beyond the seat a distance sufficient for engaging the breast of the heel lift to with draw it from the magazine. Spring fingers 86 arranged in pairs, one on each plate, and held at their inner ends by the bolts 81 serve to grip heel lifts and to hold them on the seats 83. For operating the spring fingers to grip and to release heel lifts, the fingers are each provided with an inwardly projecting pin 8'? near their outer ends adapted to engage a cam 88 mounted on an arm 89 fastened to the beam 50 by a nut 90. The forward end of the cam 88 is pointed (Fig. 2) and as the transferring member rotates the pins 87 engagethe cam and in conse quence the spring fingers are thrown outwardly releasing the heel lift.

Below the transferring member is located a conveyor 92 which moves in a path at right angles to the transferring member.

In the operation of the machine, the transferring member rotates in the direction ind-ictated carrying heel lifts from the supplying means to the depositing means which is between that member and the conveyor. As each heel lift 95 held by the spring fingers 86 approaches the cam 88, the co-operating jaws of the depositing mechanism are in a raised position as shown by the broken lines in Figure 1 ready to receive the lift. The lift is pushed in between the jaws by the fingers and at the same time these spring fingers by the action of the cam are spread apart releasing the lift which is then carried downwardly to the conveyor by the rocking movement of the jaws. At the end of the downward movement, the jaws are opened and the lift 95 is deposited upon the heelpile 96. The jaws then moveupwardly to receive the next succeeding lift on. the tran ferring member.

It will be apparent that the use of my invention permits the heel lifts to be built up in accurately aligned piles and its use is of special advantage in connection with a continuously moving conveyor.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of co-operating jaws mounted for a vertical reciprocating motion through an arc of a circle, and means for opening and closing said jaws transversely to said reciprocating motion 'to grip and release heel lifts.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a horizontal roclcshaft, a pair of jaws carried by said rock-shaft for vertical movement, said jaws being pivotally mounted on said. rock-shaft for cooperative opening and closing movement transversely to their vertical movement, and being provided on their ends with means for gripping a heel lift and means for closing and opening said jaws to grip and release a heel lift.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a horizontal rock-shaft, a pair of jaws mounted on said rock-shaft for vertical movement, said jaws being pivotally mounted for co-operative opening and closing movement transversely to their vertica-l movement, means connecting said jaws for producing uniform movement of both jaws, means for holding said jaws in a normally closed position and means for opening holding said jaws in a normally closed posi-- tion adapted for receiving a heel lift and means for opening said jaws to release said heel lift.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws hinged together at their rear ends and provided on their forward ends with heel l'ft gripping means, means for rocking said jaws vertically to transport a lift and means for opening said jaws transversely to said vertical movement to release the lift.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of co-operating jaws adapted for gripping and holding a heel lift in flat position, means for rocking said jaws vertically, and means for opening said jaws in plane perpendicular to said vertical movement to release said lift.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of cooperating jaws for holding a heel lift in flat position, means for holding said jaws in a normally closed position,means for rocking said jaws as a unit, said means being adjustable to vary the length of said rocking movement, and means for opening said jaws to release the heel lift carried thereby at the end of the rocking movement.

8. In a device of the character described, the comb'n'ation of a rock-shaft, a pair of co-operating jaws for gripping and holding a heel lift in flat position, said jaws being mounted on said rock-shaft for rocking movement, adjustable means on said rock shaft for varying the length of said rocking movement, and means for opening said jaws to release said lift.

9. In a device for transferring heel lifts from one continuously moving member to another continuously moving member, the combination of means for gripping and holding a heel lift, means for rocking sad above-mentioned means and means for opening said first mentioned means to release said heel lift at the end of the rocking movement.

10. In a device for transferring heel lifts from one continuously moving member to another continuously moving member, the combination of means for gripping and holding a heel lift, said means being mounted for a rocking movement, means for adjusting the length of said rocking movement and means for releasing said heel lift'from said first mentioned means at the end of said rocking movement.

11. In a heel building machine, the com bination with a continuously moving conveyor and a unidirectional rotary member for transferring heel lifts from a source of supply to said conveyor of means for taking heel lifts from said transferring member and depositing them in heel piles on said conveyor; said depositing means comprising lift gripping means mounted for rocking movement and means for releasing said lifts from said lift-gripping means at the end of the rocking movement.

12. In a heel building machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor for holding heel piles, a unidirectional movable member for transferring heel lifts from a suit-able source of supply, and means intermediate said movable member and said conveyor for gripping heel lifts carried by said movable member and for depositing them one at a time on said conveyor.

13. In a heel building machine, the combination of a continuously moving conveyor for assembling heel lifts in piles to form heels, a undirectional movable member for transferring heel lifts from a suitable source of supply to a point adjacent said conveyor and means intermediate said conveyor and said transferring member. for gripping said heel lifts carried by said transferring member and for depositing them fiatwise one at a time upon said conveyor.

14. In a heel building machine, the combination of a continuously movable conveyor, a unidirectional transferring member for taking lifts from a suitable source of supply and for transferring them to a point adjacent said conveyor and means intermediate said conveyor and said transferring member for gripping said heel lifts on said transferring member and for depositing them one at a time upon said conveyor; said means comprising a pair of jaws mounted for rocking movement and adapted for gripping said heel lifts, means for rocking said jaws and means for opening said jaws to release said lifts.

15. In a heel building machine, the combination of a conveyor adapted to receive heel lifts in piles to form heels, a unidirectional transferring member for transferring heel lifts in a continuous sequence from a suitable source of supply to a point adjacent said conveyor, :1 pair of jaws for removing lifts from said transferring member, said jaws being mounted for a rocking movement, and means for opening said aws to deposit the heel l ft carried thereby upon said conveyor.

16. In a heel building machine, the combination of a movable conveyor adapted to re re heel lifts in piles to form heels, a unidirectional rotary transferring member for transporting heel lifts from a suitable source of supply, means intermediate said transferring member and said conveyor for gripping said heel lifts on said transferring member and for depositing the same fiatwise in predetermined locations upon said conveyor. V

17. In a heel building machine, the combination of a movable conveyor adapted to receive heel lifts in piles to form heels, a continuously moving unidirectional rotary member for transferring heel lifts from a suitable source of supply to a point adjacent said conveyor and means for gripping the heel lifts on said rotary member and for depositing them flatwise on said conveyor in accurate position to form heel piles; said means including lift gripping means, means for rocking said last mentioned means and means for opening said gripping means to rel .ise the lifts at the end of the rocking movement.

18. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rock-shaft mounted for rocking movement, a jaw-support fixed on said rocleshaft and movable with it, a pair of co-operating jaws mounted on said jawsupport and pivotally movable in a vertical d'rection transverse to the direction of roclrmovement of said rock-shaft, and means for operating said jaws pivotally in unison to grip and release heel lifts.

19. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rock-shaft, a jaw sup port fixed on said roek-shaft, a pair of cooperating jaws mounted on said jaw-support and movable with it, said jaws being pivotally mounted on said support to permit of a pivotal movement in a vertical direction transverse to the rocking movement of said rock-shaft and said jaws, a spring for holding said jaws in closed position and cam operated means for opening said jaws to release heel l fts.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of December, 1925.

LESLIE A. HOLMAN. 

